Minister for Railways, Ghous Bux Mehar said on Saturday that government would spend Rs 21 billion for completion of 28 projects aimed at ensuring speedy and comfortable journey to railways passengers.
This huge amount that also includes Rs13 billion of foreign exchange, will be spent in phases, he said this while presiding over a meeting here on Saturday.
Mehar hoped that railways will successfully achieve all the targets set for development projects for the year 2003-2004.
He said Rs 5.57 billion were allocated for the provision of speedy and comfortable travelling facilities to railways passengers adding, 50 percent of the budget has been consumed by December last.
He said 175 new passenger coaches will be provided to Pakistan railways while purchase of new locomotives, rehabilitation of old locomotives and railway track are also being carried out.
About upgradation of railways particularly the installation of new signalling system and double track, he said it will bring about a revolution and help increase the existing speed of the trains.
He, however, said the project of doubling the rail tracks will soon be implemented in a bid to provide fast travelling facilities to the passengers.
The Minister said government has determined to provide better facilities to the people travelling by trains. He said these 175 new designed passenger coaches have been purchased from China under the railways procurement and manufacturing plan.
"Our engineers have been trained in China and these coaches would be manufactured by Pakistani engineers in the supervision of Chinese professionals," he added.
Mehar said some foreign companies have also shown their interest to invest in various development projects of railways.
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